The Journal
by Fbiloveemandhotch
Summary: Aaron Hotchner thought he had his life figured out, until one day a young girl shows up to his office, and his life changes forever. He will never be the same again.
1. Chapter 1

**THE JOURNAL CHAPTER ONE**

**I DON'T OWE CRIMINAL MINDS OR THE CHARACTERS**

"_**The past is never where you think you left it."― **__**Katherine Anne Porter**_

Washing D.C 2006

It had been a long night, _scratch that_, it had been a long week, Aaron Hothncer had never been so exhausted in his entire life. The team had just arrived from Alabama, at the BAU tarmac. The case had been brutal, they barely managed to save the last victim before they apprehended the unsub. They had been after him for almost four days, a total of eight people killed before the team was able to come up with a profile and close the case. Eight people died in the hands of the unsub and Reid was shot, _he was fine_, the bulled grasped his arm and had to get stitches. Other than that he was unharmed, _but he had been hurt at work_, now there was paperwork, and a bureaucratic agenda to follow.

But maybe, for now, they could just go home and get some rest; _tomorrow,_ well tomorrow will be another day and they will deal with everything when the time arrived. Right now Hotch just wanted to go home, maybe he could still have a chance to see Jack awake. _He was already in the dog house with Haley,_ and he had been there for a few years now. It seemed like no matter what Hotch, did she was never happy, she was constantly picking fights with him and yelling at him for small things. Hotch was only trying his best because of his son, _Jack was barely a year_, and he deserved to have a normal family and happy parents. _Truthfully, _ Hotch wasn't even sure if he and Haley were happy or if they will ever be, but the one thing they did agree on, was to give Jack the best life possible, _so he was trying._

The team started walking towards the elevator after arriving at the tarmac, and he was quietly following behind, the cold breeze making barely aware that he didn't even have a coat with him. It had been raining in D.C for the past few nights, so the air was moist and cold, and there was a lingering smell of wet grass and pavement. The guys were talking about going for drinks, but he had politely declined their invitation, even when Dave asked him so when they arrived on the sixth floor, the team was anxious to get out of there and forget about criminals for one night.

As usual, Garcia was waiting for them by the elevators, it seemed like she always needed some kind of reassurance, that yes they had solved the case and saved another life, and yes they were all safe.

"Hey Garci" JJ smiled approaching her friend

"Oh my furry friends," she said clenching her heart "_You are finally home_, and you are here with me...God forbid this case was never gonna be over..."

"But is over mama," Morgan said pulling her in for a warm hug "And we are home"

"You" the analyst replied placing her palm on his cheek "My sweet chocolate thunder, _you save our genius boy_" it was Morgan who had ultimately solved the case and saved Reid from actually being killed by the unsub.

"How are you doing? does anything hurt" Gracia asked Reid coming to hug him as well

"Not more than it should," Reid said grimacing hen the analyst hugged him, "I think I just need to go home and get some sleep"

"Come, pretty boy! I thought we were going for drinks?" Derek asked offended

"Derek, are you seriously asking me to drink while taking medication? You are a federal agent " everyone besides Hotch burst into laughter

"Hey what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," the dark skin maid said with a suave smile

"I am gonna pretend like I didn't hear any of this," Hotch said walking past them shaking his head

"Wops sorry man" Morgan grinned at the rest and David just smirked used to his shenanigans

"Have a good night guys" Hotch waved heading for his office

"Oh sir," Penelope said all of a sudden "Someone is waiting for you" that made everyone turn around again

"Who?"

"I am not really sure," Penelope said "She is a young girl, she has been waiting since yesterday, she said it was urgent"

The team exchanged glances but Hotch just started walking in the direction of his office with a deep frown, it was almost eight o'clock at night, who could be possibly looking for him right now.

When he walked inside his office a young girl was waiting for him,_ he had a momentary flashback_, but he wasn't exactly sure why it felt like a deja vu moment, but was convinced he was just tired. The girl wasn't older than eighteen, there was something incredibly familiar about her, she had long black hair, hazel eyes, and light skin. Her appearance told Hotch she came from a good family, given the attire and jewelry she was wearing. She looked tired and worried, she was looking out the window when he walked in.

"Agent Hotchner?" she asked approaching him

"Yes"

"I am Mercy," she said reaching for his had

"I am sorry to bother you this late"

"Good evening ma'am," he said shaking her hand "I am sorry I don't have much time, but how can I help you?"

"You are Agent Hotchner right?" she asked, there was something in her eyes, but he couldn't put his finger on it

"Yes I am" he had no idea who this girl was or what she was doing on his office this late when all he wanted to do was go home to his family

"What can I do for you?" he said again not trying to sound rude

"I am sorry to just show up like this, I just didn't know who else could help..."

"Help with what?" he frowned motioning for her sit down

"Is this room safe?" she asked sitting and looking around nervously and sitting down on the couch

"Can anyone hear us?"

"No" his scowl deepened "Is just you and me" but the girl just look around unsure

"I don't want to sound rude," he said, "But who are you and what are you doing on my office?"

"I need your help" she repeated looking at her lap grasping her hands nervously

"Help with what? Are you in danger?" _That was the first thing that came to his mind,_ was someone hurting her _God no,_ he could not even think about that right not.

"No is not that, is my mom who needs your help" she announced looking at him hesitantly

"Your mom? How old are you?" he asked unsure if he should even be talking to her right now

"I am seventeen"

"And you are here by yourself?" he asked incredulously

"I don't know anyone else, at least not that I can trust"

"You said your mother needs help?" he examined her face something was going on with this girl, and after all, he did have a duty to serve and protect

"I think she is missing," the girl said after a few minutes

"You think?" he repeated, "You are not sure if she is actually missing?"

"I just have a theory, I mean, I know she is missing...I just know" her eyes filled with tears and she quickly wiped her eyes before the tears started spilling.

"A theory? I don't understand" Now he was definitely puzzled

"Look I don't know how to explain it, I just know that she is missing, or in trouble and everyone keeps acting like I am crazy and is just PTSD, " She said standing up and walking towards the window, "They think I am stupid, but I am not"

"Everyone? Who is everyone?"

"My grandmother, her boss, her friends...they just think that I should move on or see a therapist, they say I am on denial," she said uncomfortably " But I just know something isn't right"

Hotch had no idea what the hell was going or what this girl was talking about, but she seemed very distress

"I know my mother and she is strong and something to happen to her... she is not just gone..."

"What do you mean by that? Where is she supposed to be at?"

"Dead"

"A beg your pardon" He was absolutely sure he heard wrong

"Dead" the girl repeated looking at him, for a second he stood there looking a the girl in shock but he recovered quickly standing up from the couch he had been sitting at. "She died a month ago, at least that's what they are saying"

"Is this a joke?" he asked walking towards his phone "I don't have time for this?" he said reaching for the phone on his office

"No, no, no please" she begged hanging up the phone her eyes filling with tears again, she really sounded desperate

"Is not a joke I swear...just please listen to me..." they glared at each other for a few seconds and he finally placed down the phone auricular, sitting in his desk.

"You better start making sense before I called security," he said handing her a box of tissues, he was beginning to think this girl was only wasting his time, but there was something in her eyes, something that told him, he should just listen to her. _And why did she seemed so familiar?_

"Sit down" he offered, she only hesitated a second but then she sat in front of him, wiping her eyes and taking a few moments to recover herself

"I am listening" he didn't want to pressure her but this was starting to make him feel very uncomfortable.

"Six weeks ago my mom was working in this case, she never really talked to me about her cases, so I don't know what was the case about but I think it was something related to drugs or the mafia..."

"The mafia?" he could not believe was his ears were hearing, was this a trap?

"I think they did something to her, they said she died trying to apprehend a drug dealer, but they never found her body...and none the stuff they said made any sense, is like they kept going around and not telling us exactly what happened"

"Who is they?"

"The CIA and Interpol guys" his eyes widened

"Your mother worked for the CIA?" He asked in shock

"No, she worked for Interpol, I mean she did work for CIA many years ago, but now she was working for Interpol " the girl replied, "But the CIA was involved with this case...and now they are being secretive and lying about everything..."

"What makes you think they are lying?" he questioned. Either this girl was crazy or someone was pulling a prank on him, what if he was being set up by an unsub, the hairs at the end of his head stood and he realized he might have made a mistake by telling everyone to leave.

"Because they never recovered her body, they won't talk about her mission, and now Clyde is acting all weird and I just don't trust him he is my legal guardian now, which means that he has legal authority over me and all my mother's documents and he won't even let me access any of that "

"Who is Clyde?"

"He was a friend of my mom's he is the head of the Interpol office in London"

"Wait? Are you talking about Clyde Easter?"

"Yeah? Do you know him?" the girl questioned hopefull

"Professionally, I mean if heard of him," he said staring at the girl and trying to puzzle why she looked so damn familiar it was like he knew her or something

"Who is your mother?" he as curiously

"Her name is Emily," the girl said "Emily Prentiss

Everything stopped moving around, his ears started ringing and he felt his stomach turning around, _ this could not be happening_, maybe had fallen sleep on the jet? Maybe this was a dream, he had not heard from Emily Prentiss in years, two decades almost, this had to be a dream

"What?"

"She is Emily Prentiss" the girl repeated "You used to know my mom right?

"Yeah... I ... I ... did," he said after a few minutes could hardly form the words

"Wow I haven't spoken to her in years, I haven't seen her since..."

"Almost eighteen years ago" they girl finished for him and then there was a new feeling overwhelming him, it was as if all of a sudden a bucket of cold water had been dumped over his head. _Her eyes, her hair, the ivory skin..._

"Wait how old are you again..?"

"I am seventeen," she said and it was like he was just looking at Emily Prentiss all over again

"So you are..."

"I am your daughter"

_**"The morning brought the crisis of my life. But it was not anything that I could have conceived of in my wildest imaginings."― Iris Murdoch,**_


	2. Chapter 2

**THE JOURNAL CHAPTER TWO**

**I DON'T OWE CRIMINAL MINDS OR THE CHARACTERS**

"**You were my first my last. There shall never be another you. You are a lifetime you are my life"—Malika E. Nura**

Washington D.C 1989

Hotch was standing by the window of what he _once called his home_, he and Haley had been talking for hours, and now he beginning to get a headache. They kept going around in circles and he just wanted this particular conversation to be over; his first instinct was to run, but that was not an option **_obviously_**. He wasn't even sure why he had agreed to come over and talk to Haley in the first place; he should have known it would turn out this ugly. But deep inside him, he felt guilty and he had managed to convince himself that _he owed her that much._

Haley and he had broken up about six months ago; well technically Haley had ended the relationship. She said that he was too busy and his new job with the ambassador was taking up all of his time. They hardly had time to spend together and he was always working, _either that,_ or he always dropped everything he was doing as soon the ambassador called. She was also furious because their plans to get married had been placed on hold**_ again_**. This on itself, opened a hold new pandora box, as they have been dating since high school almost eight years ago and Haley was so eager to get married and start a family.

The truth was, he wasn't really sure he wanted to marry Haley anymore, things have changed over the course of eight years, he was no longer that naive teenager who was smitten with her beauty. Even though his short career, he had seen much, the cases he had worked as a lawyer and a prosecutor, had changed his life. He had a different idea of life and what a family should be like, and to be honest with himself Haley wasn't the kind of woman he pictured himself with. She was immature and selfish, she was constantly picking fights and she was incredibly self-centered. He slowly started pulling away from her and things just weren't the same anymore. This, of course, was something Haley became aware of almost immediately, and she started even demanding more of his attention

He was used to this kind of behavior by now, ever since they have started dating in high school, Haley had always been very demanding and possessive, and when things didn't go her way, she would end up the relationship, just to blackmail him into getting back together again a few weeks later. They had been playing _**this game for years**_, actually almost a decade now, and he was so sick of her and her attitude that he did not even care, she was the one who drove him away, to begin with, it was her fault this was over.

Actually, **_that wasn't entirely true_**, Hotch had been seeing someone else for the past few months, it wasn't like he had cheated on Haley of course. After their final break up, Hotch took some time off, to consider his life and what he really wanted. He knew perfectly well he did not want Haley on his life anymore. Of course, there was _**someone else already in his heart, **_but she had absolutely nothing to do with his history with Haley, or what led to their break-up.

Hotch had not even started dating Emily until he and Haley were officially over. The problem was that he had fallen madly in love with the brunette girl and there was nothing that he could do about it, after all, **_you couldn't choose who your heart loved._**

"I just don't understand how could you do this?" Haley cried from the couch "After everything that we had been trough..."

"We broke up Haley" he reminded her annoyed

"_You ended everything if I remember correctly,_ you said that I was no longer the man you wanted" how dare she to actually blame this on him.

"I was just mad Aaron" she defended sobbing

"I needed some time to think, but I was hoping we could fix everything..**_.but no!_** you went ahead and decided to sleep around..." she stood up from the couch angrily pacing around the living room.

"I didn't sleep around," he said irritated "And if remember correctly _you started seeing someone else too_"

"That meant nothing" she cried "I love you, Aaron...you are the man I have always loved..." that was the problem with Haley that she did whatever she wanted and treated him however she wanted, and then, she said I love you a**_nd everything was supposed to be okay _**

"So that is why you went ahead and sleep with my best friend?" he fired angrily, he was so tired of Haley blaming him for everything. She didn't force him into his friend's arms, that was all her.

"And you slept with your boss's daughter..." she shouted "So we are even"

"That is not the same Haley," he said taking a deep breath, he wasn't going to let her get to him that easily "I was not cheating on you...we were already done..."

"You couldn't find someone else could you? She is just a stupid kid for God's sake!" The blonde woman said as she faced her ex, she was so mad she could not stop shaking.

"Emily has nothing to do with you and me, leave her out of this" he barked angrily

"How can I leave her out of this when she is the reason we that are here in the first place...?" the blonde woman asked as tears began to down her eyes. That stupid little girl had come and ruined everything for them.

"Haley you ended the relationship, we are done, what don't you understand about that?" he declared for what it felt like the hundredth time that night.

"What the hell is it with this girl anyway?" she asked with fire in her eyes "What in the fuck did she give you that are so infatuated with her? Sex cannot be that great given that she is only nineteen for crying out loud"

"I am not discussing my relationship with her, with you," he said firmly "I don't have to explain anything to you, we broke up and there is nothing else for us to talk..." he needed to control himself of did was going to end up badly. Sex had absolutely nothing to do with why he was in love with Emily.

"What would the ambassador say if she knew you were sleeping with her daughter?" Haley smirked evilly

"Are you threatening me?" he asked as his eyes darkened, damn her, and her stupid games, he wasn't going to fall for them this time.

"I am asking if her mother is okay with this so-called relationship? What about the FBI? Do they know that you sleep with your client's daughter ?" she fired venomously, he crossed the room in two strikes getting right in front of her face

"If you come any near her, I will destroy you..." he warned "I don't care if you tell her mother or the FBI, I love her and we are going to be together whether you like it or not..." he said furiously watching as Haley a few took a step back.

"You are going to regret this" Haley said furiously as she watched him walk away

"No I am not" he replied without turning to look at her, and truthfully he wasn't

* * *

Later that evening he was settled against the sofa of the luxury hotel, with Emily curled against his chest, they had gone out for dinner after he picked her up at Yale, they even walk around the park and feed the ducks. Now they were watching movies and enjoying time with each other. They usually didn't have a lot of time to spend together between his job and her classes, they hardly saw each other. That, and the fact that they were technically hiding their relationship from her mother, and well he wasn't really sure, how the ambassador would react to the news. Well, he did know, but he loved Emily and he was willing to do, whatever it took to be with her.

"How did your test go?" he asked pressing a kiss to the back of her neck, as they watched My Man Godfrey on the television.

"Good **_I think, _**I can't really remember, I was too busy thinking about you to care," she said flashing him a sexy smile, he laughed at her statement knowing she was just joking.

"Then I guess I should stop talking to you until you are done with finals" he teased

"No you won't," Emily said her mouth opening and slapping his chest indignantly, he started laughing and tickling her.

"Aaron stop..." she said laughing hysterically as he managed to flip them on the couch covering her body with his.

"I love you beautiful girl..." he said looking at her in adoration and kissing her lips

"I love you too Agent Hotchner..." she responded deepening the kiss and reaching out for the hem of his shirt as their kisses turned passionate.

"Baby wait..." Hotch said pulling away some, not really wanting them to go there yet.

"What is wrong," she asked confused

"Nothing...I have something for you..." he said sitting down again

"You do..." Emily sat up as well looking at him with confused eyes, he reached into his sweatpants pocket pulling out a small velvet box.

"What is it...?'" she asked smiling shyly at him

"Just open it, baby..." she did as he asked opening the box, inside there was a diamond gold necklace, with two hearts entwined together, it was very delicate and beautiful, _it was expensive. _

"Oh my god Aaron is beautiful"

"Is a promise necklace..." he stated taking the box from her hands,

"I would have gotten you the ring, but you said you don't like conventional things...so I just got this instead..." her eyes were full by the time he was done talking.

"Oh, Aaron this so beautiful" How in the hell did she get so lucky with a guy like him? When all of her friends were dating idiot college kids. Yet here she was dating this amazing man, who was a federal agent, and he treated her better than anyone else had in her entire life.

"I love you so much you know that?" she said blinking the tears away

"I love you too baby," he said taking the delicate necklace and placing it around her neck, placing soft kisses across her neck.

"Now everywhere you go, you will have my heart with you as well," he said with a final kiss to her lips, as he watched the beautiful necklace rest against her collarbone.

They made love slowly that night and Hotch had never been so happy in his entire life, he lay awake for a while, after they went to sleep. Emily was sleeping against his chest, and he loved to watch her sleep, she was the most exquisite creature on earth. He still could not believe she was his, _well she wasn't technically his yet, but she will be. _He was convinced that he wanted to marry her and spend the rest of his life with her, one of this days he was going to gain the courage, and ask her to marry him, but first she had to finish school and he needed to find a job that could give her the lifestyle that she deserved. That wasn't gonna be easy of course, the ambassador still didn't know about them, and Haley was not going to leave him alone that easily, but he didn't care. He loved Emily more than he had loved anyone else before. It is not like he had intentionally planned this, it just happened. It all started when the ambassador asked him to directly supervise Emily and watch after her, pretty much be her bodyguard twenty-four-seven.

Things just kinda happened, they started spending a lot of time together and he quickly realized she wasn't the young troubled girl everyone thought she was. She was smart and beautiful and kind-hearted, and she was just the most amazing person he had ever met. Haley and he were already done when he came to realize he was in love with the young girl, and one day Emily went on a trip around Europe and the ambassador demanded that he must go with her. They spend a month traveling around Europe and things kind of just happened from there, they felt in love with each other and there was nothing he could do about that.

Of course, there would be consequences about that later, but they had already discussed that and they did not care. They loved each other deeply and they were willing to fight whoever got on their way. Hotch was willing to find a job somewhere else and marry her no matter what the ambassador said, and well Emily didn't care is she had to resign to everything she had, her family, their money, the Prentiss name, she was gonna be with him regardless of what the entire world said.

**"I can't promise you forever, because that's not long enough. - Jason Dorsey"― Jasinda Wilder**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey**,** guys, it's me again, I just wanted to check with you guys about the story. I have several emails asking about the time frame, so I wanted to clarify again.**

**FIRST OF ALL, I AM HAVING A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THE SITE AND CHAPTERS KEEP DISAPPEARING SO I MIGHT HAVE TO DELETE MY ACCOUNT AND START A NEW ONE, I HAVE ALL THE STORIES SAVED SO I WILL REPOST THEM AGAIN, with a different pen name it might take me a while but I will post them. **

**Second I know this story might be harder to read because is not written in chronological order. The story takes place in D.C in 2006, this is around season 2 ish. Emily and Hotch first met in 1989, I am so sorry if I wrote 1999 that was my mistake. But is 1989, ****so there is an 18-year difference between chapters. The story is going keep jumping from 2006 to 1989. I am sorry if I wrote the wrong year that was my mistake and I went back and fix it I APOLOGIZE ABOUT THAT**

**With that being said, I will talk about the chapters a little bit, first, these chapters aren't written from anyone POV, they will be like flashbacks or pages taken directly from Emily's journal. So most likely each chapter I post would be a different year. **

**So far we know that Mercy Prentiss came to find Hotch after her mother was killed at work. Mercy never met Hoth until that day, and he did not know about her for reasons I can disclose just yet. Mercy doesn't believe that Emily died, she thinks she is alive and in trouble. Clyde might be a bad guy in this story so she doesn't trust him. ****She finds Emily's journal and she finds about Hotch when she realizes he works for the FBI she goes to find him, hoping he can help her find her mother.**

**We have no idea what happened to Hotch's and Emily's relationship so stay tuned. We also don't know what really happened to Emily and that is why the team is gonna do. FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO EMILY. Just be patient as I am writing three stories now, also I am trying to find a BETA for the stories so I apologize for the grammatical errors, as you all know by now. English is not my first language. So please be patient. **

**THE JOURNAL CHAPTER THREE**

**I DON'T OWE CRIMINAL MINDS OR THE CHARACTERS**

Washington D.C 2006 Present time

"I am your daughter"

There was a pregnant pause where Hotch was absolutely sure that the world had stopped moving.

He opened his mouth a few times but nothing really came out. What was he supposed to say anyway?

"I am sorry what...?"

"I am your daughter Agent Hotchner" the girl repeated with more confidence.

She hadn't actually imagined what would happen, when she was sitting in front of him throwing the _I am your daughter card._

Of course, she wasn't really expecting anything from him, it was not like she was there for an allowance or a parently figure.

Her mother had provided enough for her to have a great lifestyle where she didn't need anything from him, and she probably never will.

But she had so many questions, and yet somehow being there in front of him wasn't as hard she thought it will be.

Maybe it was scary but not hard.

"That is impossible" he stammered "I... there is no way..." _was there?_

"Who sent you..." _was his first reaction because denial was always better than the truth._

In a matter of seconds, he was on his feet dialing the phone again, this had to be a sick joke. Another serial killer was trying to take him down.

"Dave can you come back to the office please?" he begged, a part of him didn't even know why he made the call.

_It wasn't like Rossi could do much more than him anyway_, she was just a seventeen-year-old girl, she didn't really post any threats for him, not yet anyway.

So why did he need back up?

"No one sent me, I found you on my own"

"You found me? How did you find me?"

"I can use the internet" she smirked rolling her eyes, _and it was so Emily-like_ that it made him nauseous

"Your name is plastered all over the media, you are a hero out there" she smiled sadly, somehow she had convinced herself that her father never wanted her and that he was some kind of an asshole without a job and worry in the world.

But no, s_he found out he was a highly decorated federal agent,_ who just like her mother, spent his day saving people. He was a good guy _or at least he seemed to be, _so why was he never around then? why did he never cared about her?

"I can put two and two together, I just looked you up... you are the only Agent Hotchner in the BAU" she continued speaking but he wasn't really listening, somewhere in the past few minutes he had lost his ability to think, talk and process.

"This can't be true..." he heard himself saying, and he hated that he sounded like a coward.

" You did have a relationship with my mother, didn't you...?" She wasn't sure what the truth was just yet, _after all_, her mother had never bothered to tell her about his existence.

_Now here she wa_s, seventeen years later trying to understand why in the world did her parents split up and why no one ever bothered to tell her about her father.

Hotch turned to face her, the stoic emotionless Aaron Hotchner was unnerved by a seventeen-year-old, so he made the mistake of watching her closely.

_Those perfectly long eyelashes, the dark hair and alabaster skin, the mannerism, they all screamed Emily_, but the eyes, _**those eyes**,_ those eyes were not her mother's, _they were his_, and for a moment it was like he was staring at himself through her eyes.

"We did... eighteen years ago..." he said sitting down again unable to believe that this girl was truly his.

Somehow he realized that he couldn't stop staring at her,

"Do you recognize this?" Mercy asked reaching into her sweater and pulling out a necklace, which she carefully unclasped, placing it in front of him.

_It was a diamond gold necklace, the same one he had given Emily so many years ago, a promise necklace, a promise that they will be together forever._

"Where did you get this...?" his hands were shaking as he touched the delicate piece jewelry hundreds of memories coming back to his mind

"It was mom's..."

It took several minutes for him to recover and comprehend what was happening. He was trying to convince himself that this was a bad nightmare, just less than an hour ago he was supposed to be heading home and spend time with Jack and now, here he was with all the memories of his past and a whole new daughter. _A daughter...! _

_"_I gave her this..." his voice was barely a whisper

"I figure that much... " she said leaning against the sit,

"She wrote about you on the journal, about the necklace and how much she loved you ..." her eyes were sparkling now. How was it possible that her mother loved him so much, but yet every time Mercy asked about her father it ended badly.

"What journal...?" Hotch asked confused

Mercy reached into her purse pulling out a tattered black leather journal.

"I found this on her stuff... right after she..." she didn't finish the sentence she still refused to believe that her mother was dead.

Hotch took the journal carefully from her hands, glancing through the old pages, some of the writing was smeared and yellowish but he recognized Emily's perfect calligraphy immediately.

"There are a lot of pages missing, and it doesn't even seem like she wrote on it often, but she wrote about you a lot... that is how I found you..."

Hotch carefully held the book on his hand going back to the first page.

* * *

_ March 12th, 1989_

_ Sometimes I hate that I was even born, It is my birthday I am supposed to be happy, __but why do I feel like __life is ending for me? Another opulent party the frivolous ambassador __throws. One __that I am being auctioned like a piece of furniture; if she could sell me to the highest __bidder, she probably would, of that I am sure. She doesn't care about how I feel, all that matters __to her is her position in society and the attention she gets from that. __I can be surrounded by a sea of people __and still feel __alone... there is nowhere for me to go, I am trapped in this luxurious and pretentious __life and I am suffocating__. I hate everything about this life, this house, my name...__my __mother...every single person in this house makes me feel so sick. __But then there is him... every time I look at him I feel butterflies in my stomach, __his hazel eyes are like a different world that I lose myself on... every time he talks to me __my __heart skips... only if he knew how I feel._

* * *

Hotch finished reading and his heart began to ache, he quickly began picturing nineteen years old Emily strolling around the ambassador's house, being mischievous and incredibly beautiful.

"I am sorry" he apologized looking at the girl again.

"I don't mean to be rude..." and he really wasn't

"This is just a lot to process... she never told me about you." and now he was overwhelmed by anger and frustration.

He had a daughter! _A whole daughte_r and for seventeen years he had absolutely no idea she even existed? How was that fair?

"I know, ...but that is not why I am here" the girl stated calmly

"Agent Hotchner I don't really care what happened in the past or why you weren't there... I just need to find my mom"

"I wasn't there because she never said a word to me," he said a little bit louder than he intended to, he was so angry at Emily, life and pretty much just everything right now, he watched the girl's eyes widen, the fear expressed in her face, making him take a step back.

"I am sorry okay?" he said taking a deep breath

"This is just..." he stood up again walking towards the window, in just a matter of one hour his whole world had collapsed in front of him

"How could she do this to me...?

"I know is not your fault..." Mercy said following after him and placing a hand of his back.

"She never talked about you..." she said sadly "No matter how much I asked about you...she just wouldn't..." the tears were beginning to form in her eyes

"I would have never walked out on you...I hate her for doing this to me" _damn you, Emily Prentiss, Damn you and your entire existence _

"Look I am angry too," the girl said reaching to touch his arm

"You have no idea how difficult it was for me to find out you were my father through her journal..." she stopped talking for a second trying to collect her thoughts.

"She never wanted to talk about you not once... it was too painful for her"

"I always thought that you were some kind of drunk that just walked out on her and me... I was so angry _at you_ for years, for not being there, for not wanting me in your life...I hated you for so many years" she sniffled looking away from him

"I didn't know about you..." it seemed like a lame excuse but it was the truth, but what else could he do? Pull her into a hug and pretend nothing ever happened?

" Then I found out, that you are actually a good guy, you save people..." a few tears spilled down her eyes

"I am so angry with mom right now..." she stated wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater

"But she needs our help... the longer we take, the fewer chances we have of finding her alive," She said firmly taking a deep breath.

"Why are you so convinced that she is alive?"

"I don't know, I know this is gonna sound crazy, but I just feel it, all I know is that she didn't just die..."

"Agent Hotchner something happened to her and I need you to help me...I need to know...please? Mercy begged, her eyes full of tears

"I need to call my team," Hotch said "They will help, they are good people" as much as he hated to bring the team into this if Emily was really missing there was no way he could find her on his own.

"Okay...but we don't have much time, we have to hurry" the girl agreed, not really sure what else to do, she never figured she would be in front of her father, she wasn't sure how to act around him, but right now that was the least of her worries.

Hotch walked back to his desk taking his cellphone and calling in the rest of the team, there were so many emotions going through his mind right now, but if Emily was really in danger, they needed to find her.

_Then he could kill her for doing this to him._

"Can I ask you something?" Mercy asked when he was done calling the team

"Sure" he frowned hoping that whatever she was about to ask, was something that he was prepared to answer

"What happened between you and mom?" s_o much for that _

"I read the journal...she loved you so much...you guys loved each other... why did it end so badly?"

It took several minutes for him to form a solid answer, he was not gonna lie to her, not after everything Emily had done, she deserved to know the truth, _hell he deserved to know the truth._

"I don't know," he said painfully, "One day she just ended everything...and she left..."

**"****Everyone's allowed to be in love with the wrong person at some point. In fact, it's a mistake not to be." ****Harriet Evans**


	4. Chapter 4

**THE JOURNAL CHAPTER FOUR**

**I DON'T OWE CRIMINAL MINDS OR THE CHARACTERS**

Washington D.C 1989

Aaron Hotchner walked into his supervisor's office late at night on Friday, an urgent meeting, Charles had said when he called him over the phone. Charles Bachmann was the current director for the National Security Branch for the FBI. He was the one who appointed Hotch to work for ambassador almost a year ago, the assignment would be over in a few months, and he was really hoping for a transfer to the Behavioral Analysis Unit.

He had all the right qualifications and experience to get the job, _he was on the shortlist for the job_. Charles had already written his recommendation letter directly to the FBI Director, Aaron was the right man for the job. Everyone said so, even the boastful Elizabeth Prentiss had was gonna give him a reference letter, that was something that will definitely open the doors for him.

A last-minute meeting with his director made him a bit anxious, Charles's call had been short and awkward and now he was wondering if somehow his current assignment was going to be extended, truthfully he wasn't sure he could bare working for the ambassador any longer.

"Charles I came as soon as I could..." he said walking inside the office and looking at the man he considered a friend and perhaps a mentor.

"Aaron please sit down" Charles said uncomfortably, Hotch frowned this was for sure not going to be a good news meeting.

"Is there something wrong...?"

"Aaron I have known for what? Ten years now, maybe more" the older man said sitting in front of him

"I have seen you grow as a prosecutor and now as a federal agent, I have always admired you and think really highly of you"

_That was his first sign that something was wron_g, Charles had obviously not called him in the middle of the night to talk about his career achievements.

"You are smart and bright, your integrity and loyalty to the FBI will take you very far..."

"What's going on Charles? You obviously didn't call me here to talk about my future with the FBI..."

"Aaron, your friendship means a lot to me, but so does your honesty and the way you conduct yourself..."

"Charles, what is it?"

"There was something brought to my attention, something that has left me speechless, " Charles said standing up again frowning in deep concentration.

"Now before we base this conversation on hearsay, I want to ask if there is something you need to tell me...?"

_He knew. Hotch sat there knowing whatever happened he had to be honest with Charles, _ he took a deep breath, preparing himself for the worst.

"Is about Emily" he stated looking at his boss.

"So is true then?" it took Hotch several minutes to answer, he was not sure what was gonna happen now, but he was ready

"Yeah, it is..."

"What the hell were you thinking? Do you have any idea what this can do to your career?" the man said angrily, Hotch got a microsecond flashback from his father yelling at him when he was a kid.

"I do"

Charles walked over the window running a hand through his dark-gray covered hair. The man was clearly tired and this was a very difficult conversation for him. Hotch was surprised he wasn't screaming at him or worse why had he not fired him yet?

"You need to end this with her, I managed to convince the ambassador is just a rumor...but this needs to end tonight...you will not see her again. Do you understand? "

"I love her Charles"

"Are you insane Aaron? she is nineteen years old for the love of God"

"I am not going to lie to you, you said you wanted me to be honest..." Hotch said looking at the man before him

"I love her and I want to marry her..."

"You have lost your mind..." Charles said angrily shaking his head

"You are not thinking clearly, you are going to ruin your career for this girl, and this is just a game to her, she is trouble and she is going to ruin your life and you can't see it"

"You don't know her the way I do"

"Jesus Christ Aaron, I have known the ambassador for two decades," he said exasperatedly

"You don't think I know Emily? All the stunts she has pulled and all the trouble she has caused over the years? I am the one who has been responsible for keeping everything she has done underground.

"That is different" Hotch argued

"She has compromised other federal agent's jobs. Do you have any idea how many people have been fired for being inappropriate and crossing the line with her?"

"Are you seriously blaming her for that? She is nineteen, she did not rape them, they knew exactly what they were doing. She did not sleep with any of them" hotch said angrily

"No, she didn't" Charles replied severely

"She played games and flirted around crossing boundaries she shouldn't have and then she turned around and got them fired.. she is nothing but a troubled rich young lady and you are too damn blind to see it"

"Charles I am in love with her, and you have no idea who she is, no one does, because no one has bothered to actually listen to her and understand her," Hotch said carefully "She is an incredibly smart and wonderful person...I just wish you could see it"

"You are thinking with your penis Aaron for the love of God!" Charles shouted "I am trying to save your career and your future, I am not going to let her ruin your life for her" he warned pointing his finger at him

"Charles"

"No Aaron, this conversation is over, you need to home," The man reprimanded

"You are going to take the week off, and when you return you will not see her ever again or talk to her do you understand...?"

Hotch sat there for a second looking at his boss, Emily and he had already had this conversation, and he didn't care what he had to do, he was gonna be with her. They both vowed they will defend their love no matter what.

"I think you need to listen to what have I have to say ..."

"Good night Aaron... you can leave now," the director said dismissing him.

"I am resigning from my post..." he said firmly

"Aaron please go home" Charled repeated

"Nothing you say is going to change my mind... I will talk to the ambassador myself..."

"You lost your mind completely..." Charles said appalled

"I love her and I am going to fight to be with her, my word is final I will talk to the ambassador and whoever I need to talk, hell I will talk to the FBI director if that is what it takes"

"Aaron you need to go think about what you are doing..." Charles begged as his wit's end

"I am going to be with her no matter what you say..."

"Don't you understand that you will never be good enough for her...!" Charles said at him harshly

"What's that supposed to mean?" now he was getting angry

"She is a rich a girl Aaron, she wants more than this" the older man pointed at him

"Right now she is with you because you are the new Agent a new distraction for her...but one day she is gonna get bored and you can't take her anywhere" Hotch stood there looking at his friend angrily, this was not true about Emily, she was the most amazing and kind human he had ever know.

"Emily is not like that... she is different..."

"She is a spoiled rich girl who has gotten everything she has ever wanted, she lives in a mansion, she goes to school in a limousine, she travels around the world for fun, her sunglasses cost the same amount as the car you are driving, she spends on a week what you make at year... what's gonna happen when she wants something that you can't afford?" the older man asked harshly but Hotch did not respond

"She is gonna leave and go back to her castle and rich life because that is all she will ever be, and you will never fit in her world... don't you see that?"

"Have a good night Charles... it has been a privilege..." Hotch said placing his badge and gun on Charles desk

"Aaron please you are making a mistake..."

"Goodbye..." Aaron said standing up and walking out of the office.

He didn't think he could stay there any longer without losing his temper, he did not believe for a second Emily was any of the things Charles had said. He had known another side of Emily, a side no one else knew. He loved her more than he had loved anyone before, even Haley. He will show the ambassador, Charles and everyone else that they were wrong

* * *

A few nights later Hotch parked outside of the restaurant longing to see Emily's face already, he had not seen her all week and he was dying to be with her. He knew things were messy, Emily had called crying a few nights ago, the ambassador knew about them, and she was hysterical.

It seemed like Charles attempt to persuade her that their relationship was just a rumor, had been futile. The ambassador was furious and she was ready to do whatever she could to stop their relationship. Even if it meant cutting Emily out of money completely.B ut they did not care, Emily had told him she was gonna leave her house and she did not care if her mother left her on the street.

She did not care about money or anything, she loved Hotch and she was gonna be with him no matter what she had to do. They were both ready to fight the entire world if they had to, even if it meant risking everything. Hotch was gonna take his chances and just be transferred to another branch the FBI, he didn't need the ambassadors help to make it to the BAU. With his experience, he still had very high chances of going into another branch of the FBI, he will also work at the district attorney's office, so he could afford to pay for Emily's school. Even if he had to work two jobs, hell he will even work three jobs for her. Eventually, he will get a job at the BAU he knew he would, and then he will give Emily the lifestyle she deserved. N_othing was going to get on their way of being together and happy, nothing else mattered besides their love._

He made his way inside the restaurant, spotting the beautiful brunette sitting on a table, looking more beautiful than ever. He could not wait for their life together, and soon very soon he was going to propose her, he already had chosen the ring.

When he got closer to her he realized she had been crying.

"Sweetheart are you okay?" he asked concerned kissing her lips, she pulled away slightly making him frown.

"Emily, what's going on?"

"Nothing," she said taking a deep breath

"We just need to talk..."

"Okay, what is going on honey..."

"Listen, all of this has been a mistake..."

"What do you mean?" he frowned looking at her

"Us," Emily said with a look Hotch had never seen on her face.

"What are you talking about baby?"

"This should have never happened, I don't know what I was thinking...it was a mistake," Emily said looking at him coldly.

"I should have never gotten involved with you... I was all a mistake "

"I don't understand... we just talked last night baby, where is this coming from?" he said reaching to take her hand but she withdrew it, looking down unable to meet his eyes

"Emily..." his stomach was turning, making him feel sick,

"I am sorry I just... I can't keep doing this anymore... I can't keep going on with all these lies..."

"What lies?"

"I don't feel anything for you Aaron..."

"What?"

"I am sorry it was all a lie...a distraction I guess"

"Emily, I quit my job I left everything for you," he said shocked "What are you acting like this now...I love you, Emily, I will do anything for you" he tried to reach for her hand away but she moved away from him

"Don't, I don't want to be with you, you are no the man I want in my life ..."

"You said we will be together forever" He could not believe what he was hearing, "You said that you loved me..."

"I said that because I wanted to escape from my mother's house. I was bored and you were there it was easy..." her voice was so cold but there was something in her eyes, something he could no describe, he reached to touch her in a desperate attempt to hold her in his arms

"Just stop Aaron ..."

"Emily..."

"Please just leave... go back to your job and to Haley... we are from two different worlds Aaron... it was fun being with you, but you could never make me happy"

"I don't believe this... how could you do this..." he was fighting the tears

"I just who I am, I am damaged goods and this was just a game for me..." she said standing up and looking at him coldly

"Please don't call me or come near me ever again...or I will be forced to call security on you..."

Emily walked out of the restaurant with her head hight, without looking back at him, the tears were burning her eyes already, but she refused to let them fall. She stepped out of the restaurant and a sob escaped her mouth, Aaron will never forgive her for doing this, but she had to do this,_ she had no choice._

* * *

Aaron sat at the park later that night, it was late, he wasn't sure how late, but it was late. He had been there for a few hours now, sitting on the bench at the empty park. He used to come to that same park when he was a kid, with his father, at least when his father was not drinking, Hotch was only six or seven years old, but it was some of his best memories he had from his childhood.

He always went there when he needed to think or when he was having a bad day, today had probably been the worst day of his existence. He still couldn't believe he had quit his job for Emily, only to find out later that she had been playing with him and his feelings, all this time.

"I figure I would find you here..." he heard Charles voice, but he didn't even flinch, it was as if a big part of him had been expecting him.

"Why are you here?" he wasn't really in the mood to talk to anyone

Charles didn't say anything he just took a seat next to him placing a manila envelope between them.

"What's that?" Hotch asked without looking at his former boss.

"Your transfer to the BAU"

Hotch turned to look at him in shock

"The ambassador sent her review on you with flying colors... you got the job..."

"I don't understand..."

"Well apparently she knows Emily's past and behavior, she said that there was no reason your career should suffer because of that...'

"Did she actually say that?" he could believe what he was hearing

"She asked me to apologize for whatever inconvenience her daughter's behavior had caused you..."

"What about Emily...?"

"She is going to Prague for the holidays...and then after that move on with her life. But you should not worry about her anymore " Charles said, "You should just put that on your past..."

"Charles..."

"Look Aaron you are a wonderful Agent... you deserve this... you start at the BAU next week..." he placed his badge and gun next to him.

They sat there for a few more minutes but none of them said anything.

"Girls like her don't fall in love with people like you and me Aaron"

Hotch turned around to face him with a perplexed look.

"We are the guys that hold to the door open for them, we drive them around and keep them safe, we are just... servants to them"

Okay, he wasn't a profiler yet but he was good at reading behaviors and emotions that was why he was gonna do great at the BAU.

There was a reason why Charles had gone off his way to protect him and his job when he should have fired him on the spot.

"When I said I know the ambassador forever I was not lying, I was you twenty years ago..."

"Wait, what?" there was no way that was possible, he had to be joking.

"I was naive and she was just as charming as Emily is now...I thought that I could make her happy, I was willing to do anything to be with her.."

"What happened?" now he finally understood. Charles had started just where Hotch started doing security clearances, what he didn't know is that he had worked for the ambassador as well.

"She was Elizabeth Prentiss..." he scoffed

"She wanted more... she was ambitious and all she cared about was fame..." he said sadly but Hotch kept looking at him.

"One day she met Emily's father. His family was not only rich but prestigious... one of the wealthiest families in D.C...she didn't even like him... she just wanted the social status and his money..."

"They have always been wealthy... she didn't need money..." Hotch said baffled

"Don't you get it, Aaron? Is never gonna be enough... they will always want more..."

"I was gonna ask her to marry me...I never felt like this about anyone..." Aaron confessed sadly

"You are young, you will find someone...you have a whole future ahead of yourself..."

"I don't know if I can get over her"

"You will... I know I did..." Charles said standing up

"Good luck at the BAU Aaron... " with that he walked away from him.

"**So it's true, when all is said and done, grief is the price we pay for love."****― E.A. Bucchianer**i


	5. Chapter 5

**The Journal: Chapter Five**

**I DON'T OWE CRIMINAL MINDS OR THE CHARACTERS**

"**My heart is not brave or big. It is not cruel either. It is not strong at all. I keep it within this iron cage for a reason. Breathe on it wrong and I will die... Just go now. I would rather let you see my face, than my heart."― ****Rebecca Ashe**

Washington, D.C., 2006 Present Time

"You're kidding, right? David Rossi said, looking at his best friend in disbelief. It was late at night, they had just returned from solving a case and he was looking forward to having a glass of cognac and a Cuban cigar, maybe even spend a good time with a woman he had met at one of his book tours last month. But, he had been dragged back to the office by his best friend/boss and now they were discussing the identity of a random girl that just showed up at his office claiming to be the Unit Chief's daughter.

"You seriously can't believe this girl; she could be an unsub, for all we know…she could be setting you up, Aaron."

"She's not setting me up, Dave, trust me, she's not lying."

"I can't believe that you're actually buying into this. What are the chances she's telling the truth?"

"It's really not that odd." the Unit Chief said defensively. "A girl showed up out of the blue claiming she was your daughter after almost three decades, and it turned out to be the truth."

"That was…"

"Different? Why, because it can only happen to you?"

"No, because you're different than me, Aaron."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you don't sleep around, you have been with Haley all your life." Hotch looked

away from his friend.

"I was with her mother; she's not lying about that."

"So, you're telling me that you dated this woman? The ambassador's daughter?" Dave repeated incredulously. "You, Aaron Hotchner, the stoic and authoritarian stickler Unit Chief, actually had an affair with his boss's daughter?"

"You're making it sound like a dramatic soap opera." Hotch said, annoyed.

"So you did." Dave concluded, amused. "That's why you're so convinced she's yours."

"I can't believe what I'm hearing; you actually had an affair with the ambassador's daughter, I never thought I would see the day that Aaron Hotchner let his feelings get in the way…and he had a frivolous affair."

"It was not an affair, Dave."

"No? I mean you were with Haley back then, Hotch, what else would you call it?"

"I was not with Haley when we were together, Haley and I had ended our relationship. It just happened, I knew it was crazy and I could have lost my job. I was risking everything I had, but I didn't care, I was crazy about her; she could have asked me to jump off a bridge, and I would have done it, we were just so happy, we were both willing to do anything for each other."

"You were in love." Dave finished, seeing the glow in his friend's eyes when he spoke about that woman…he had never seen his eyes light up like that.

"I was going to marry her."

"So why didn't you?"

"One day she just ended everything. She told me whatever we had, had been a game to her...an adventure...that she wanted nothing to do with me, and she asked me to never call or see her again, she said everything had been a lie."

"You're kidding? What happened after that?"

"Nothing, she just left. I got assigned to the BAU a week later, and I learned she moved to Paris. I never saw her again."

"Wait a minute here, that doesn't make any since you were deeply in love with each other and all of a sudden she just ended everything?

"Yeah, pretty much."

"So, she just moved to another country? Pregnant with your kid?" The Italian man said, frowning in confusion "How old was she?"

"She was nineteen."

"You're telling me that a nineteen-year-old girl got pregnant with your kid and the ambassador didn't even flinch? She was a kid, for God's sake, knowing Elizabeth, she would have murdered you for that, something doesn't add up here."

"That's why we need to find her."

"Emily Prentiss? You really think she's alive?

"I don't know, Dave, but I deserve to know the truth. She's had seventeen years to tell me that I had a daughter and she never did, the Emily I knew would never have done that."

"Something must have happened that forced her to walk away from you." Dave concluded. "Where do we start?" He asked, determined to help his friend.

"Right now, we focus on finding Emily." Aaron responded. "Once we do, I can focus on finding out why she never told me about my daughter." He said as he walked out of his friend's office and headed to meet the team who had just walked through the glass doors.

An hour later, the team was gathered around the conference room table where Hotch and Rossi had already briefed them about what was going on. The team was in shock after finding out that not only had their boss had a seventeen-year-old daughter, but he had also had a romance right before he got married to Haley. They had so many questions they wanted answers and clarifications for, but right now, all they needed to focus on was finding a dead woman that wasn't really dead, or so Hotch thought.

"You really think this woman is alive? Hotch, I'm sorry, but this is crazy; some girl just shows up at your office claiming her mother is missing and you expect us to drop everything and find her…we don't even know if she's telling the truth?" Morgan queried, looking at Hotch skeptically.

"Why would I lie about something like that? You think I flew all the way here from London just to play a prank of you?" Mercy said defensively, giving Morgan a death glare, one he had only ever seen on Hotch 's face.

"Mercy, it's okay." Hotch responded cautiously. "You don't have to work this case if you don't want to, Derek, you can go home."

"That's not what I meant, Hotch." Morgan said while shaking his head.

"I know this is a lot of information and very difficult to digest, and none of you are required to work this case with me; if you want to go home, you can do that. I know that we'll be going against BAU protocol by taking on an international case, so I understand if you're having second thoughts. I have to do this for myself...I don't think she's lying, but there's only one way to find out. So, if you want to go, I understand."

"I don't want to leave, I have your back, and if you really think something is going on, I trust your judgment." Derek replied, looking deep into the Unit Chief's eyes.

"We're not having second thoughts. We are a family we are going to help you" Reid added, looking around the table. As crazy as everything sounded, he knew if Hotch was asking for help, something really bad was going on.

"Thank you," Hotch said looking at everyone.

"I found something," Garcia said, walking into the conference room holding a laptop.

"One Emily Prentiss died on July 13, 2006, in the line of duty; there are no details about her death though, and there's something super weird with her death certificate." The analysts said, pointing at her screen where a blurry picture of a blurry legal document from London was displayed.

"What do you mean?" JJ asked, not sure what the analyst was pointing at.

"England doesn't use letters for their coding for documents they only use numbers, see this has letters on it, and when I looked it up online, it doesn't actually show up in the system."

"It's a fake document, it was forged by someone." Rossi said, now fully believing what his friend had told him…something was definitely going on.

"Garcia, who signed the death certificate?"

"See, that's where it gets tricky. A death certificate has to be signed by a medical practitioner or coroner... this was signed by a Dr Kerato."

"Garcia, can you..." Hotch began asking.

"I already did, sir." She responded smiling." Dr. Kerato's medical license was suspended in 2004 for fraudulent transactions and allegedly sleeping with his patients. It was never confirmed, but the London authorities shut down his practice and he was taken off the medical board…he has been AWOL since then." Hotch turned to look at the young girl immediately. If Emily's death certificate was forged, then there was still a possibility that she was alive.

"I need you to tell me everything you know about her death," he said as he turned to Mercy, she was the only link they had to finding Emily. "Everything you know about her job, the case she was working, who her friends were, everything you know." Mercy blinked a few times trying to collect herself.

"I told you everything I know."

"Which is...?"

"That the people my mom was after had killed her and two other agents, they never found her body, but they found the other agent's, though, Clyde said that they all died at the hands of a group of criminals they were investigating, but that was all he told us, he said everything else was classified"

"Clyde?" Morgan interjected, he was almost sure he had heard that name before.

"Clyde Easter, he runs the Interpol office in London."

"What were the names of the agents?" Hotch questioned.

"Uhmm, Neil Dickinson and Hannah Murphy…they worked with mum."

"Were your mom and them close?" JJ asked, looking at the pictures that had appeared on her IPad.

"Yeah, Hannah and mom were really close, they were practically best friends, they had worked together for several years."

"Was your mother seeing anyone?" Rossi asked.

"No, she never wanted anyone around me, she made her life about me and keeping me safe. She never dated anyone" The girl said, her eyes beginning to cloud again.

"And you found out about Aaron because of the journal?" Dave queried, looking through the tattered notebook.

"Yeah, I found it in mom's stuff; at first, I just wanted to read about her life, but then I found out he was a federal agent and I knew he could help, I just didn't know who else to trust."

"You don't trust Clyde?" Morgan asked, already knowing the answer.

"No, Clyde has been acting weird, every time I tried to talk about mom's death, he just kept avoiding questions and acting shady...he's the one who shut down the investigation into mum after they died...and then when I said something didn't make sense, he told everyone I was being delusional about mom's death and that I needed to see a therapist."

"They were investigating a mob?" Dave questioned, frowning. "Do you know what who or why?"

"I don't know, mom didn't tell me about her job, really." Mercy said, trying to remember if her mother had mentioned any details about her assignment. "But, when the ambassador asked what happened to mom, they told her it was one of the many mobs Interpol was after…they told her they had murdered mom and that the case was now closed and there was nothing they could do"

"Ambassador Prentiss?" Hotch asked, surprised that Mercy referred to her as an ambassador and not as her grandmother.

"Yeah, she wanted to know details about the case since we've never been close to her, but Clyde just shut down the investigation saying mom was murdered, and she had died a hero. He told her it was better for us to just move on and not get involved with anything, he said it was dangerous and she could be putting my life in danger... but I think that is a load of bollocks."

"And the ambassador didn't press anymore? She didn't think something didn't make sense?" 

"No, she did exactly what Clyde said to do, she didn't want mom's job to get in her way. She never liked mom's job, so we didn't really talk to her except for a few Christmases and birthdays."

"How do you know she didn't like your mom's job?" JJ questioned, surprised at her resemblance to the Unit Chief, like when she furrowed her eyebrows in concentration, the deep glare in her eyes, it was all pure Hotchner.

"I dunno, I guess she wanted mum to be a politician like her, they just never really talked, the ambassador always said mom had fallen onto the wrong path and had dishonored the Prentiss name. Her and mum just did not talk, my mother had been angry at her for many years but I don't know why"

"When was the last time you talked to the ambassador?"

"At mum's funeral, she told me she wanted to make up for all the lost time and she was there if I ever needed anything...and then she just left!"

"But, you didn't ask her for help to find your mother." Reid concluded.

"She wouldn't have helped."

"Why not?"

"Because she would never do anything that damaged her name or her reputation."

"Meaning?" Morgan asked, confused.

"She would rather pretend her daughter was dead than have her name published all over media for a murder investigation." Hotch said knowingly, he had worked for the ambassador, he knew her well enough.

"Garcia, do you have anything on the other two agents?"

"They both died a week before Emily did, they received honorary medals by Interpol. Hmmm, Hannah's husband, Grant Murphy, moved to New York after her death. He has been in the states since then. Wait, he used to work for Interpol as well, but he resigned after Hannah's death."

"You know him?"

"Yeah, he was close to mom, too. Hannah was pregnant when she died." Mercy said sadly

"He's in New York now, Garcia?"

"Yeah, as far as the records show, he teaches at Columbia now."

"Send the address to my phone. Dave and Mercy, you're coming with me...the rest, I need you guys to find everything you can about the ambassador and Clyde Easter. I have a feeling one of them is involved with this…if Emily is still alive, we might not have much time left."

"_**Love is understood, in a historical way, as one of the great human vocations-but its counterspell has always been infidelity. This terrible, terrible betrayal that can tear apart not only another person, not only oneself, but whole families"—Junot Diaz**_


End file.
